Disclaimer: I Don't Own It. JK Does. Really, She Does.
Title: Time and other Truths
Summary: In Which a Time-Turner Breaks and Life gets a little more interesting.
Warnings: AU/AR, MWPP Era, Vaguely Cannon, OOC Snape, Character Death, Bad Dumbly, Good Moody, Language.
Chapter Notes: In which there is death.
Author Notes: Short chapter today. It was a pain to write and I almost wanted to combine this and the next chapter but decided to leave it as it is. Review! Please.
Key
Speech: "you're my best friend notepad"
Spells: STUPEFY!
Thought: 'notepad hates me'
SFX: *BOOM*
Writing: Once upon a time...
Memory: ~ "because notepad is bratty" ~
Page Breaks: -TaoT-
Pain. Pain was the only thing he was aware of. The only thing that he knew. The only thing that existed after the shack vanished.
Severus felt like he was getting ripped apart from the inside out. 'Like the first time I became an animagus.' He thought he must have blacked-out or maybe even died. If this was Hell it was indeed adequately named.
But as he thought that the pain was slowly ebbing and a floating sensation was taking its place. The burning in his limbs diminished to a dull ache that left him dizzy and disoriented. Severus let his limbs stretch out in search of a wall or floor or ceiling. There was nothing but darkness and too warm air.
"Black?" He called out. His voice echoing strangely into space he found himself in.
No one answered his call and though he felt his eyes were open he could see nothing of the world around himself. 'Am I blind?' he though with a thrill of terror.
But just as quickly as the thought came to him the world around him bust to life. A cacophony of color and sound raced around him solidifying in front of him into what resembled a large television screen . The images on the screen were blurred at first but quickly fell into focus.
Him waking to see the moon high in the sky. He was being held up with a levitation charm.
Lupin muzzle pulled back across razor sharp teeth, foaming at the mouth and charging toward him.
He saw himself, another him, release the levitation charm and jump in front of Potter and his cohorts. Saw Pettigrew transform and Black follow as Severus fought off the crazed Lupin until he too went after the rat. He watched Potter run after the trio, 'All four Marauders under the moonlight once again.' only to begin trembling with a chill that was anything but natural and feeling the darkness pulling him back into unconsciousness.
Severus thought it strange that he appeared capable of feeling everything the him on the screen was experiencing while still being aware of the body he was in now. The dual sensations and emotions were confusing and had him wondering if he was in fact exactly where the screen image showed him to be and the darkness surrounding him was only in his head.
The images started to speed past more rapidly, Potter refusing to talk to him, Dumbledore's doing no doubt. Black's mysterious escape. hearing that Potter deflected over a hundred Dementors to save his Godfather, this had made Dumbledore angry for some reason. Draco telling the whole school of Lupin's werewolf status followed by the man's retirement. It was painful when his screen self realized that not only Potter but everyone who had been at the shack that night had been obliviated and believed it his fault that everything went wrong. 'Damn that Dumbledore!'
the screen went dark momentarily and with the darkness came an unbearable pain followed by a flood of memories as though he had already lived those weeks of his life. 'Can they really be considered memories if I don't believe they have happened yet?'
The colors came back; this time the first thing he saw was a flaming goblet set on a pedestal in the center of the great hall."The Goblet of Fire." he said aloud the strange echo sounding again. He recalled a staff meeting during which the Headmaster had mentioned that they would be hosting the Triwizard Tournament the following year. The scenes or memories, whatever they were rushed by too fast for him to see, but he sensed that something very wrong had happened.
When the images slowed again he was staring down at his arm in horror as the once faded Dark Mark blazed back to life and seared into his skin. Severus felt the pain mirrored in his own body twice over and looked down in equal horror as the Dark Mark glowed a malevolent red before darkening to a heart-stopping black. 'He's Back.' Severus searched the impenetrable darkness expecting the Dark Lord to suddenly appear a Crucio at the ready.
But no Dark Lord appeared so he returned his attention to the screen where his future self thrust his uncovered arm under the nose of the Minister of Magic while arguing near an unconscious and injured Potter. His future self was trying to convince the buffoon that the Dark Lord had returned and the Wizarding World was once again in danger. Another lull in the images had Severus prepared this time as a second flood of memories hit him almost as painfully as the first.
Severus was panting in pain when the images continued. His future self, because he was sure now that, that was who he was seeing on the screen, entered an old and decrepit house in Central London. The entryway was dark and looked to be covered in several decades of grime, it lead to a dusty hallway where the stuffed heads of house-elves hung on the wall like trophies and the portrait of an elderly woman screamed obscenities and preached pure-blood superiority.
"Welcome, to the most Noble and Ancient House of Black." Black said sarcastically from where he was seated at the head of a heavy, aged wooden table, his feet propped up casually and his arms crossed. 'No doubt he was obliviated as well.' Severus thought.
"Now that Severus has arrived, I now call this meeting of The Order of the Phoenix to order." Dumbledore announced from behind the Black heir. 'Arse-hole.' Severus griped as the scene shifted again.
His future self had cornered Black after the Order meeting. "What do you want Snape?" he sneered, leaning casually against an aging wall. "Black, what do you recall of the night Pettigrew escaped?"
Black confusion was obvious and his future self realized that Black's memories had been tampered with. "You burst into the shack and distracted us all, Harry and the kids stunned you, we started making our way back to Hogwarts but Remy transformed and we lost Pettigrew, uh me and Harry got cornered by Dementors, I woke up tied to a chair and then Harry and Hermione sneaked me out on Buckbeak." Severus sighed in resignation.
"Do you remember seeing Lupin transform?" he asked hoping against hope that Dumbledore had missed something. Black shook his head. "I was in front of him." he said though he sounded unsure.
Nodding his head in silent thanks future Severus turned to leave, but Black grabbed him and pulled him back. "What's going on Snape?" He said looking deeply unsettled, his future self simply shook his head and pushed Black away before walking out the door.
Severus knew if he informed Black of the true event of the shack Dumbledore might kill them both. The Severus watching wondered what happen after the time-turner exploded that would have allowed Dumbledore enough time to alter everyone's memories, he had a distinct impression he had actually been removed from the shack along with Black. Maybe it didn't happen that way to this future Severus.
The images began to speed up again slowing down to show his office at Hogwarts, where a scowling Potter slowly rose from the floor and his future self ordered "Again!" then whispered "Legitimens." and watched the boy crumble to the floor once again as images of the Department of Mysteries and an injured and dying Black flowed from the boys mind to his own.
His future self was casting every mind protection spell he could to protect Potter from the Dark Lords influence but knew that they wouldn't hold for long against the Dark Lord. He was no longer trusted by the boy and had to used these violent and underhanded methods to prepare Potter for his now inevitable meeting with the Dark Lord. His future self stopped casting and waited until Potter was up on his feet.
"Again!"
The memory changed again and Potter was now being restrained by Umbridge and desperately asking him, in code, 'Smart boy.' to check on the mutt and be sure he was still at home. He rushed to his rooms and flooed Black; telling him not to leave the house no matter what he hears. The images faltered momentarily and the space he was in felt as though the very air was vibrating.
The images solidified back at Grimmauld Place and Severus felt his stomach drop as Albus announced that Black had fallen through the veil. This was followed by another rush of memories, from his and Black's constant arguments, to that toad-bitch Umbridge, and the final conversation with Black where he said he had asked Dumbledore about his inconsistent memories. Severus didn't want to believe that Dumbledore would allow one of his Golden Gryffindor to die but with this last set of memories he had no doubt.
Also amongst these new memories was his first meeting with the Dark Lord since the bastards revival and several more after. He finally met something solid as he fell to his knees on the invisible floor, an echo of the Cruciatus burning through his body. Even when not in the monsters presence he refused to cry out.
He felt rushing air at the nape of his neck and assumed to images were changing again as he caught his breath and the last tremors of the Cruciatus faded from his limbs. Perhaps this was Hell and he was being shown that he would have screwed up his life even more had he lived.
When he looked up he saw his future self was also on his knees and holding the forearm of Narcissa Malfoy as Bellatrix Lestrange cast the Unbreakable Vow that would ensure the protection of Lucius and Narcissa's son Draco as he completed a mission for the Dark Lord. It also ensured that should Draco fail Severus would complete the mission himself.
The next few scenes rushed by quickly but with purpose. Slughorn's warning about Horocruxes, Dumbledore's idiocy and impending death, the odd behavior of both Potter and Draco. The order from Dumbledore to end his life. Then the rushing collage finally slowed and future Severus was standing on the Astronomy Tower pointing his wand at Dumbledore and casing the Killing Curse blasting the old man off the ledge.
Severus felt lighter with the manipulative man's death 'Ding dong the wizards gone!' and sightly joyful as he watched his future self drag the terrified Draco outside the gates of Hogwarts and dissapperate. This time Severus was more than ready when the next years worth of memories rushed through him mind and settled as if they had always been there.
The next set of memories were difficult to watch as he saw himself sitting in the Headmasters office; only behind the desk rather than in front of it. After Dumbledore's death it was apparently too easy for the Dark Lord to gain control of the Ministry and Hogwarts. The future Severus spent every waking moment trying to keep his cover as a spy while protecting the students and teachers of Hogwarts and keep an eye on Potter who had not returned to Hogwarts. He was especially busy trying to save students from the Carrow siblings who had been brought into Hogwarts on the Dark Lords orders.
Being able to silence the voice of Dumbledore's portrait with a simple spell was the highlight of his year it seemed. But both he and his future self nearly retched as they learned that in order to kill the Dark Lord, Potter had to die.
The most shocking revelation came from one of his future self's many arguments with the portrait of Phineas Nigillus. Who revealed the truth behind a great many of Dumbledore's actions. The fact that Dumbledore was furiously banging on his portrait confirmed the truth of what Phineas said. When he stated that Dumbledore began to feel threatened as every generation bore more and more powerful half-bloods and muggles.
Severus was murderous and angry that he had already killed Dumbledore when he learned that it was Dumbledore that had steered a young Tom Riddle down the path of darkness in the hopes that he would destroy himself or be killed by dark wizard hunters. Instead he became even more powerful and Dumbledore started to panic.
Then Severus started school and the Headmaster realized that he had the potential to be as powerful as the Dark Lord, but because he was in Slytherin Dumbledore felt he couldn't use him to get rid of the Dark Lord and began to demoralize and discredit him amongst his peers, by allowing the Marauders to torture him and spread rumors about his non existent skills in the dark arts. Severus was sure Potter knew more dark spell than he did, but that didn't matter in the long run because he was a nobody and Potter was one of Dumbledore's Golden Gryffindors and could do no wrong.
Phineas Gleefully told Severus how Dumbledore had never expected that Tom would recruit him instead if kill him. They both laughed as Phineas recounted the fit Dumbledore had thrown when he had learned that Severus was now the Dark Lords personal Potions Master.
But it was at this time that the prophecy emerged, Phineas said Dumbledore had been ecstatic thinking he could end Tom's reign, get Severus arrested and Kissed, and be able to accidentally kill the young savior before he reached his majority.
The portrait hinted at other lives ruined by the wizard but never elaborated. Something that frustrated both Severus' "...But why kill Black? He was on the run he couldn't have defaced Dumbledore's image with out getting caught and he didn't even know what really happened." future Severus had asked Phineas after he was told that Black's death had been set-up by Dumbledore, no matter if he had dodged Bellatrix's curse he would still have died that night.
"The boy was asking too many questions and according to Albus Sirius he was unusually powerful for a Pure-blood; as was his brother Regulus. I believe Albus may have had a hand in that ones death as well." Severus had been sad to hear about Regulus' death, they had gotten on fairly well after Regulus had come clean about what had happened back in school.
Severus was still slightly resentful that he had lost him his best friend, but the fact that Lily had ended their friendship over one slip of the tongue had shown him that she had not felt as strongly about their friendship as he had.
The next scene that Severus saw had his blood running cold and his breath catching in his throat. He was standing alone in the Shrieking Shack and the Dark Lord suddenly appeared. Severus tried to give Potter, who was hiding in the shack, time to escape, but faster then lightning the Dark Lord's familiar Nagini lashed out and bit into the future Severus' neck.
Severus felt a cold burn start in his neck and put his hand there and felt hot sticky blood oozing between his fingers. The cold burn turned into a searing pain, as he heard his future self telling Potter to take his memories. He felt his vision graying as his future self died on the floor of the shack.
'Is this what will happen or did it already happen and this is the afterlife?' Severus thought, tears rolling down his face and blood continued to run through his fingers. The last set of memories hit him like a runaway freight train and he felt himself fly through the air then slamming into a wall, welcoming the true darkness that dragged him down into oblivion.